Authors Share Unforgettable Moments From Book Festivals

Guest authors see some crazy funny, crazy heartwarming things during their time on panels and exhibiting at book festivals. Read on for a few of the moments that stood out to Srianthi Perera, Deborah Ledford, Ashley Sweeney, Susan Cummins Miller, and Marcia Reynolds—just some of the authors who’ll be on-hand at the inaugural Arizona Author Book Festival.

“One day, one of my former newspaper editors dropped by and was standing at my table where a young man was debating whether he should purchase my book. ‘You should buy it. It’s a wonderful read,’ she told him enthusiastically. I couldn’t resist grinning because my former editor had not read my book. (She did read it later and wrote a great review.) Of course, with such a grassroots recommendation, this young man promptly bought a copy.” –Srianthi Perera, author of A Maiden’s Prayer: A Family Story Set in 1970s Sri Lanka (Srianthi Perera), a coming of age literary novel.

“Children everywhere! I was trying for a shortcut across the greens at the University of Arizona campus, hoping to cut some steps to my destination, when an avalanche of kids streamed out of nowhere, each with a book in hand, jumping, squealing, excited beyond words. All I could do was stand there, stunned, and revel in their excitement until the wave of tiny book lovers were gathered back into a manageable clutch by their handlers.” –Deborah J. Ledford, author of Havoc (Thomas & Mercer) and other mysteries.

“I love reading festival goer T-shirts: Too Many Books, Too Little Time, or I’m With the Banned. Because of hearing issues, I try to arrive early for front-row seats. It's always quite intimate as authors almost always acknowledge readers in the front row and speak with readers extemporaneously as they're waiting to speak or after. I've had the privilege to speak with several authors over the years in this way, and now, when I speak, I try to do the same.” –Ashley Sweeney, author of The Irish Girl (She Writes Press) and other untold women’s stories.

“When Anne Hillerman picked up her father Tony’s Leaphorn/Chee/Manuelito mystery series, set on the Navajo, Zuni, and Hopi reservations, the Tucson Festival of Books asked me to have a conversation with her. After 40 minutes of discussion, I opened the event to Q & A. A woman got up and told a story: She’d had car trouble out on a Navajo Reservation backroad. I don’t remember the details of how she summoned help, but a man stopped and waited with her. Looking out over the vast desert around them, he told her about the land and its history, pointing out specific sites. When help arrived, he got in his vehicle and left. The woman looked at the back cover of the book she was reading, with its picture of the author. The kind stranger was Tony Hillerman. Needless to say, there wasn’t a dry eye in that lecture hall.” –Susan Cummins Miller, author of My Bonney Lies Under (Artemesia Publishing), a historical mystery.

Selling books and working an event can be an exhausting endeavor for authors – both newbies, and festival veterans. Ledford reminds guest authors of the power they have to create amazing moments for readers:

“As I stood in line to have a book signed by a favorite writer (published authors are fans too!), I started chatting with a young lady holding a few young adult novels. She said her mother had stayed home with her son who had been sick and homebound for almost a year so she could spend the day at [festival], and to find something fun for her son. I asked if I could gift him one of my books, then took an extra copy out of my bag and proceeded to jot a little note of support. Tears were streaming down her face as I handed her what I hope will be a journey for a little while to a place they've never been. To escape. If only for a little while.”

If you’re planning to attend, remember to plan ahead, pack patience, wear comfy shoes, and bring a hat (it’s Arizona!).

Marcia Reynolds, PsyD, author of Coach the Person, Not the Problem (Berrett-Koehler Publishers) and other coaching and leadership works, also suggests “checking out a book or two you normally wouldn’t look into. Read the contents and a page or two before you decide it’s not for you. It might be a fun exercise, if not mind-opening.”

You can meet all of the authors featured in this article at the upcoming Arizona Author Book Festival happening Sunday April 27, 2025. The free community event features 30+ Arizona authors, talks, book signings, shopping, children’s crafts, food trucks, live music, giveaways and more. The first 1,500 kids (17 years or younger) will receive a book. The festival is held at SEEDS for Autism’s Phoenix campus. SEEDS, a nonprofit, provides education, social skills, and vocational training for teens and adults on the spectrum.